Persona, & Performance: The Rhetorical Appeal to Ethos
Communication occurs within a context, and context requires communicators to consider self-representation. Identity is not a fixed trait so much as it is a performance, one that shifts moment to moment, relationship to relationship. Philosopher Judith Butler has argued that we can never have one true sense of who we are because how we come to know ourselves depends on the people around us. Who we are when in the company of others is, as Butler argues, a matter of performing who we are within a context of others.
Appealing to ethos requires a communicator to consider context and audience. This might seem complicated, but most of us do this cognitive work on automatic pilot. For example, when alone, we behave quite differently than when we are "chilling" with friends. When we're with our families, we change behavior and language practices again. The moment we enter the workplace, our behavior and communication strategies change, too. In other words, we adapt our character, our situated ethos, to suit the context. If life is theatre, then ethos is the costume, mask, or persona we need for a particular role.
This may seem like trickery, but it is important to remember that language itself is socially acquired. We learn to speak and read in the company of others, and are influenced by the values inherent to the contexts of family, society, school, and the workplace. Because social codes are deeply embedded into our language practices, communication is never neutral. When we communicate and make choices, we reflect our personal and professional values. When these values are important to our audience, we are thus accepted and believed. When they are not, or when we do not represent ourselves in a way the audience expects, we fail at the primary goal of communication: Connection.
We can construct ethos deliberately by choosing our ideologies, enacting personal and ethical choices, and by strategy. If we are noble, trustworthy, and have a reputation for being honest, for example, we are more likely to be believed. When presenting our ideas, if we demonstrate that we have done the research, that we have extrinsic proofs to support our statements, we deepen our credibility. Ethos can be determined by the context as well as our choices, and that's why it is so important.
When writing and speaking we make decisions about self-representation, our ethos, when we consider formal or informal strategies, pay attention to style (such as MLA or AP), adjust our grammar choices, cite our sources, and adhere to genre expectations. For example, a letter of application is a genre quite different from a personal blog, and adhering to the social customs of formality will help us to establish credibility.
When writing a research paper for a class or work assignment, citations establish our credibility and authority. When interviewing for an accounting position at a corporation, one wouldn't sound off like Eminem at an 8 Mile rap battle, or discuss work experience while impersonating Christopher Walken. Admittedly both of these would be spectacular to see in a YouTube video, but would most likely fail to impress the hiring manager.
Language is a powerful tool. When we consider how our communication choices affect our credibility, believability, and message, we are making appeals to ethos. When we self-edit in the community of others, we are making choices of representation (like avoiding curse words at work, or not dropping f-bombs near babies) that persuade our audiences to find us credible, honest, and appropriate for the moment. When we forget to self-edit, or decide to communicate without thoughtfully considering our audience, we invite disaster. Twitter, for example, is full of such moments that have led to controversies that ended careers. Words matter. Used strategically, they can illuminate our character, gain an audience's trust, and prove our credibility.
Tips for Ethical Appeals
1. Match tone, word choices, grammar, and style to the
context and/or genre.
2. Match your language choices to the context/genre. Do not
be informal when formality is expected (or the reverse).
3. Match your choices to your audience.
4. Match your choices to your goals. How do you want to
represent yourself, your character, and your credibility?
Recommended Reading
To explore rhetorical concepts further without dying of boredom, consider Jay Heinrichs' Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion . Heinrichs divides rhetorical practice into two distinct categories, offense and defense, before outlining the complexities of persuasion with witty examples, helpful strategies, and advice.